Digital Operation of a Magnetic Resonance System
AssigneeQuantum Valley Investment Fund LP
InventorsTroy W. Borneman, Ishit Raval, Donald Edward Carkner, Andrew Boorn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a general aspect, a magnetic resonance system performs a magnetic resonance measurement. In some examples, a magnetic resonance system includes data processing apparatus and a superheterodyne spectrometer system. The data processing apparatus generates digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal information based on a pulse profile. The digital IF signal information is configured to suppress an image sideband in a magnetic resonance control signal. The superheterodyne spectrometer generates the magnetic resonance control signal based on the digital IF signal information.
Claims35
1-31. (canceled)
A method of operating a magnetic resonance system, the method comprising:
- by operation of a computer system:
- obtaining pulse sequence information corresponding to a pulse sequence to be executed by the magnetic resonance system, the magnetic resonance system comprising a control unit, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) units, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) units, and digital input/output (DIO) units;
- and
- generating a hardware control sequence based on the pulse sequence information, the hardware control sequence comprising timestamps and hardware control values for respective time segments in the pulse sequence, the hardware control values for each time segment configured to control operation of the DAC units, the ADC units and the DIO units;
- storing the hardware control sequence in a memory unit;
- and
- executing the pulse sequence in the magnetic resonance system, wherein executing the pulse sequence comprises controlling, by operation of the control unit, operation of the DAC units, the ADC units and the DIO units according to the hardware control sequence.
A magnetic resonance system comprising:
- digital-to-analog converter (DAC) units;
- analog-to-digital converter (ADC) units;
- digital input/output (DIO) units;
- a memory unit configured to store a hardware control sequence;
- a data processing apparatus configured to:
- obtain pulse sequence information corresponding to a pulse sequence;
- and
- generate the hardware control sequence based on the pulse sequence information, the hardware control sequence comprising timestamps and hardware control values for respective time segments in the pulse sequence, the hardware control values for each time segment configured to control operation of the DAC units, the ADC units and the DIO units;
- and
- a control unit configured to control operation of the DAC units, the ADC units and the DIO units according to the hardware control sequence when the pulse sequence is executed in the magnetic resonance system.
A method of operating a magnetic resonance system, the method comprising:
- accessing digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal values for a multiple-resonance pulse, the digital IF signal values comprising a plurality of intermediate frequencies associated with a plurality of resonance frequencies of the multiple-resonance pulse;
- generating analog IF electrical signals based on the digital IF signal values;
- generating a multiple-resonance magnetic resonance control signal based on the analog IF electrical signals;
- and
- delivering the multiple-resonance magnetic resonance control signal to a resonator unit in the magnetic resonance system.
A magnetic resonance system comprising:
- a control unit configured to access digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal values for a multiple-resonance pulse, the digital IF signal values comprising a plurality of intermediate frequencies associated with a plurality of resonance frequencies of the multiple-resonance pulse;
- a digital to analog converter (DAC) device configured to convert the digital IF signal values to analog IF electrical signals;
- a mixer device configured to mix the analog IF electrical signals with local oscillator (LO) electrical signals to produce a magnetic resonance control signal;
- and
- circuitry configured to deliver the multiple-resonance magnetic resonance control signal to a resonator unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.